Sheet-feeding means for type-writers, &amp;c.



, 13. J. DR EHER.

SHEET FEEDING MEANS FOR T m/WRITERS, a'w.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJQ, 1911.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WZTNEEEES' PIJ. DREHER. SHEET FEEDING MEANS FOR TYPE WRITERS, 6wv

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29,1911. LUYQZ-L Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WZTNEESEE' {NT/ENTER.

P. I. DREHER. SHEET FEEDING MEANS FOR TYPE WRITERS. a.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG.29, 1911 11,070,021

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

erated typewriters, and has particular refer main-.11 moon nnnnnn, or TOLEDO, onto.

SHEET-FEEDING Means ron TYPE-WZRITERS; 8w.

Specification of- Letters Patent.

Patented Aiig. 12,1913.

Application filed Aug iist 29, 1911. Serial No. 646,661.

To alliulwm it may coiicem Be it known that I, PHILLIP J ACOB'DREHER,

a citizen of the United States, and a resia dent of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have-invented a certain new and useful' Sheet-Feeding' Means for Type- NVr-iters, &c.; and I do hereby declare the and to the figures of reference marked there on, which form a part of this specification;

My invention relates to automatically op ence to the paper or sheet feeding mechanism thereof, but is not restricted to such use as it may be used many connection for which it -is appl'mble.

The object of my'invention is the provision, in combination with a typewriter or other machine for which it is applicable, of simple and efiicient mechanism, which is antonnatically operable .to intermittently feed sheets of paper or the like to the printing parts of .the machine, and also'to rapidly place the sheets inwriting position within the machine and rapidly deliver the printed sheets from such parts when the printing thereon has been completed.

Further objects of my invention will be obvious from the following detailed description. i i

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and while in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment-in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying -awings, in which, j Figure 1 is a side elevation of'the mechanism embodying my invention in association with a typewriter withpartsof the same in section. Fig. 2 is afront elevation of a typewriter and associated sheet feeding parts with portions of the latter broken away. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section of the sheet feeding mechanism and associated typewriter platen taken on the line :2, m in Fig. 2 with a portion of the former broken away. Figs. 4, 5 and-6 are different enlarged details of parts of the platen driving mechaa nism. Figs. 7 and 8' are different sectional views of the valve in the air-conduit leading from the sheet picking up means. Fig. 9 -is an enlarged view of the upper end portion part 2.

i J 5f the striker leverwhich actuatesth'e sheet '.rnnr aria.- I

picking up mechanism, and Fig. 10 is an en- 4 larged sectional detail of one form of pneumatic unit.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a "typewritendesk or other suitable part with which my'mvention-is associated, 2the low-- ered top portion thereof, and 3a typewriter of any suitable form which rests upon, the

4 designatesfithe customary typewriter carriage, which operates over the top portion of the machine on tracks-.5, in the usual or any suitable manner, and 6 designates the platenroll, thev ends of the shaft 7 of which are journaled in the carriage 4.

Secured to and rising from the carriage 4 at the ends thereof are the side plates or walls 8 which are connected at their rear ends'by an inclined. sheet-carrying table 9, the

lower end portion of which is provided with :a Wal1=10.agains t which the lower'edges of the sheets to be fed to the typewriter rest. The-plates 8 are also connectedby the paper guiding'webs 11, 12 and 13 arranged one in advance of the other in the order, designated.

The web 11 extends downward and. forward from the forward edge of the lowertable wall .10 in position to gnidethe course of the sheet a to the platen roll 6 in position to be wound thereon, while the web 12 extends from adjacent to the rear portion of the platen roll upward and forward from the same over a portion of the web 1 3 to coact -with'the forward end of a sheet as it feeds forward from the platen 6 and direct its course between the forward ends of the webs 12 and 13, which are arranged as indicated for such purpose. A delivery roll 14 is arranged over the forward portion of the web 13 in advance of the Web 12 andv coacts with a sheet a to deliver it frbm the platen when released thereby. The table 9 is provided on its upper surface with'gage bars 15 which extend lengthwise of the table and arcadjustable transversely thereof to suit the width of the sheets a to be printed. For the purpose of such' adjustment the bars 15 are secured to the'table by set screws 16, which work through transversely extending slots 171 7 therein. To accommodate long sheets a and also to permit the table 9 to be shortened to en;

able it to be lowered into the ordinary typewriter desk with the typewriter, it is provided at its upper end with a removable Q a a 1,070,6 1

extension part 18, which fits 'againstthe Y thetable 9 it is only necessary to remove the screws 16 at the lower ends of the bars 15,

Pivoted to. the sides of the table 9, as at 19, and extending forward and downward therefrom'are a set of arms 20 which are connected at 'their lower ends by atubular shaft 21,.whicli is mounted for rotary movements therein and has one end closed. One

or more suction mouthpieces 22 extend laterally from the shaft 21 toward the table ,9 and have their outer endspreferably formed in bell shape of soft rubber or other suitable material. These mouthpieces are in connection with the interior of the shaft 21 and are adapted, when moved inward to place their open ends'in flat contact with a sheet. A suction is created through the mouthpieces 22 to cause a sheet to adhere vthereto and be carried outwardly therewith uponan outward swinging movement of the attached shaft with the arms 20 by reason of a tube or conduit 23 extending from the open end of the shaft 21 to a suctionpump 24, said tube having, in the present instance, a slide-valve 25 located therein.

,The movements of the valve 25 are pneu-- matically controlled, being attached to the movable part of a bellows 26 which has an exhaust tube 27 leading to the pump 24 and an air-inlet tube 28 leading thereto from a passage in a tracker-board 29.

mission of. air to the difierent passages of the tracker-board 29 is controlled by the'cooperation therewith of a perforated sheet 30 the feeding and guiding of which is controlled in any suitable mannerby the feed and guide rolls 31, as is well understoodin the art. The meansvfor driving theperforat'ed sheet 30 is morefully described in my "copending application Serial No. 638,89 L The valve 25 normally stands closed and opening movements 5 are comvmunimited thereto by a collapsing of the bellows 26. Numerous-forms of these bellows are on the market, and it will be sufficient for an understanding of the operation ofthe invention to describe one form only thereof, which is shown in detail in Fi 10. In such bellows a designates the body or stationary part, and b the interior of the bellows proper.. The body ais provided with a chaniber to which has-communication through a passage d with a suction pipe 27 and has communication through a passage e with the interior 6 of the bellows. A diaphragm f is disposed in the chamber 0 and divides 1t into two compartments, one of which has communication with both passages diand e, while the other has communi- The adcation through a passage 9' with the'tube28 leading from the associated tracker board passage. A disk-valve k is disposed in the passage c, and has its stem projected into the chamber a and attached to the .diaphragm f. When the valve is raised by 'the suction action thereon from within the chamber a it closes the communication be- 1 tween such chamber and the passage 6, and

when lowered, clue to the atmospheric pres sure inthe passage 9 upon the diaphragm f, it is lowered and opens the communication between the chamber-c and passages .to the bellows and closes thewopening 21 from the passage e to the atmosphere. It is thus apparent that when theftracker passage is closed the suction actionwithin the chamher 0 will move the valve h to close the communication between the suction means and v the interior of the bellows and open the' communication between'the atmosphere and the bellows, and that upon an opening of the tracker passage the atmospheric pressure, which-then rushes into the passage 9,

acts upon the diaphragm j and effects a movement of the valve In to open communication between the suction means and the in-' terior of the bellows so that a sudden collapsing of the bellows is efi'ected. A small bleed-opening j is provided between the passage g-and the suction chamber 0 so that any air remaining in the passage 9, after the closing of the associated tracker passage,

will be-slowly drawn therefrom .to relieve the pressure on the side. of thediaphragm f opposed to the valve,

' An arm .32 extends downward from the shaft 21, being fixed thereto by a set screw 33, or in any other suitable manner, and has its lower end provided with a longitudinally-extending slot in which a pin, which projects from a thrust bar 34, works. This bar extends forward from the arm 32 being mounted for free reciprocatory movements within guides 35 attached to the outer side of one of the plates 8 and has its forwardmovement limited by a stop-block 36 thereon coacting with one of said guides. A

coiled compression spring 37 is mounted on said bar and has its opposite ends thrust against a shoulder thereon and one of said guides 35 to yieldingly hold the bar 34:.at

the limit of its forward movement. I a rearward movement of the thrust bar 34: the arm 32 is caused to swing rearward a short distance and is then pulled to effect a drawing of the suction mouthpiece 22 into flat contact with the uppermost one of Upon a pile of sheets which is disposed within the table 9. At approximately the time of engagement of the mouthpiece 22 with a sheet a the bell0ws26 is operated to effect the suction within the mouthpieces 22. When the mouthpieces have been moved near the limits of their outward movements they are swung forward due to the forward swinging of the arm 32 at such point, and

deliver the sheet therefrom when the writat approximately the same time the elongated perforation which is moving in reg ister with the passage in the tracker-board 29 in communication with the bellows 26 moves from register therewith, thus permitting said bellows to open and efiect a closing of the valve .to release the suction action of the mouthpieces 22 upon the engaged sheet. The swingingmovemerit of the mouthpieoes 22 with the shaft 21 as their axis moves the engaged sheet forward and -downward, tending to throw it over the guide web 11 toplaten engaging position. Such movement of the sheet also permits air to pass between it and the next sheet to facilitate the sliding or feeding move ment thereof, as is apparent. A spring 38 yieldingly acts upon each arm 20 to nor mally retain it in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The means employed for imparting properly timed rearward movements to the bar 34 as the feeding of the sheets to the typewriter platen may require, is shown-"in the present instance as being effected by the movement in one direction of a striker lever 39 which is pivoted to any suitable support, as at40, and has its upper end disposed in position to have forward end of the thrust bar 34 and impart longitudinal movements thereto when oscillated. The lower end of the lever 39 is connected with the movable part of a bellows 41 whereby a collapsing of such bellows will impart a bar striking movement to the lever. The bellows 41 has a tube 42 leading thereto from a passage in the tracker-board and has a conduit 43 leading therefrom to the suction pump 24. It is thus apparent, that whenever a perforation in the control sheet 30 moves into register with the passage in communication with the bellows 41, a collapsing of such bellows will contact with the be effected and a consequent bar-striking movement imparted to the lever 39 to cause a lowering of the sheet picking up mouth pieces 22 into engagement with a sheet on the table The upper end ofthe lever 39 or that which coacts with the push-rod 34 is broadened as indicated at 39 (Fig. 9) to adapt the lever to strike said rod within a predetermined range of transverse movemerit of the rod 34 with the typewriter carriage as the adjusting of the stops for the carriage for different len the of lines may require. It is to be un crstood that the lever "39 does not move laterally with the starting position.

' In order to cause a turning of'the platen roll to rapidly feed a sheet a into position for the starting ofthe writing of a letter or other matter thereonand also to rapidly ing of-suchmatter has been completed, I provide automatically controlled mechanism for such purpose which is operable independently of the line spacingmechanism of the typewriter, which. latter is described in in copending' application Serial No, 641,560, filedJuly 31, 1911. To accomplish such turning of the platen roll I provide a ratchet-wheel 44 on one end portion of the platen roll shaft 7 with which a pawl 45,=

which is carried above'the ratchet wheel by a push-bar46, eoacts. The bar 46 is mount ed in the bearings 35 with the push-rod '34 and is normally held at the limit of its forward movement'by the action thereon of a coiled compression spring 47 The forward movement of the bar 46 is limited by a stop 48 thereon coacting with one of the guides '35, and upon a rearward movement of the bar 46 the pawl 45 coacts with the ratchet-- wheel 44 to impart a predetermined rotary movement thereto. To rapidly reciprocate the push-bar 46 I provide a wiper wheel 49, which is carried by a shaft 50 in position for its wiper flanges 5,1 to coact with the forward end of the push-bar 46 to impart reciprocatory movements thereto when said bar stands in register with said flanges and the wheel 49 is rotated. The shaft 50 is mounted in a bearing bracket 52, which is sechred to'one side of the desk or easel. Thewiper wheel 49 is axially shiftable on the shaft 50 to, adapt a clutch surface 53 on one end thereof to be moved into engagement with a clutch lug 54 on a pulley 55, which pulley is mounted on the shaft 50 and is continuously driven during an operation of the machine. A coiled compression spring 56 is interposed between the adjacent sides of the wheel 49 and pulley 55 to normally maintain the same-in released position. The ulley 55 is driven, in the present instance, by an electric motor 57 through the medium of a belt 58. A belt 59-is also shown as leading from said motor to the rotary pump 24 for driving the same. When the wiper;

wheel is released from the pulley 55 itsrotation is stopped by the engagement of one of the flanges 51 thereon with a stop-lug 52 onthe bracket 52.

The means employed for automatically moving the wiper wheel 49 into clutch engagementwith the pulley 55 at predetermined intervals during the operatiorr of the machine comprises, in'the present instance,

a shift lever 60 WnlUU. is pivoted to a bracket 61 projecting from the adjacent casing side with its upper end in forked engagement with a peripherally grooved hub end-of said wheel and its lower end attached to the movable part of a bellows 62, whereby a collapsing of said bellows will impart a pulley engaging movement to the wheel 49. The

bellows 62, which is similar in its action to the bellows 26, has a tube 63 leading thereto from-a passage in the tracker-board 29' wherebythe admissionof air thereto is controlled'by perforations in the controlling sheet 30, and has a suction therefrom to the suction pipe 43.

. A knife switch is shown as bein interposed in the circuit with the motor 57', the

.- control lever 65 of which is pivoted to a bracket within the desk, as at 66, and has its free end projecting without the desk to permit a manual manipulation of the sameu Thislever is attached to a movable part of a bellows 67, which is similar in its action to the bellows 26 and 'is suitably carried. within the desk, as by the bracket 68, andhas its exhaust tube '69 communicating with. the

exhaust'pipe 43 and its air inlet tube 70 "effecting a throwing bf the switch 65 to open position, thus stopping the motor;

The feed roll 14, which is adapted to deliver the printed sheets from the machine after the same have been released by the platen roll, has rotation communicated thereto-from the platen roll by a belt 72 connecting pulleys 73 and 74 on the respective shafts of said rolls. The pulley on the feed roll 14 is smaller than the other pulley to compensate for the difference in sizes ofthe feed and platen rolls, and also toeffecta rapid delivery of the sheets a, from the machine when released by the platen roll 6. While the frictional engagement'of the roll 14 with the sheets a is sufiicient to deliver such sheets from the machine when released by the platen roll 6 and coacting pressure rolls (not shown) it is not suflicient to cause faster feeding of the sheets when in engagement with the platen 1'01 6 than would be accomplished by a turnin of such roll, the roll 14 slipping in contact with the sheets a during such action.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Uponthe retraction of the platen car riage 4 to line starting position upon the completion bf the writing of a letter or other matter, a perforation in the control sheet 30 pipe 64 leading will move into register'with the trackerf board passage in communication with the bellows 41 topermit a collapsing of such bellows and a consequent movement of the striker lever 39 to throw the thrust-bar 34 to the limit of its rearward movement. Upon such movement ofthe bar 34 the crankarm 32 will be rocked to turn the paper pick-up I mouthpieees 22 relative to the arms 20 into position torest flat upon the top one of the sheets a on the table 9' when lowered for such purpose, and will pull upon the arm-32 1 i to move the arms 20 and attachedparts'inio position for the mouth pieces 22 t0 engagefa sheet. 'The spring 37 now acts upon the thrust-bar 34 to return it to its normal po'si: I

tion, the striker lever 39 having returned to its normal position due to themovement of the perforation from register with the associated tracker-board passage, thus causing the arms 20 and associated parts to move shaft 21 and attached mouthpiece 22 so that the 'mouthpieces will have compound oscillatory movements imparted thereto. to tend to throw the engaged sheet a downward into platen roll engaging position. At approxi- -outwardly from the sheets, androcking the mately the period of engagement of the,

in the control sheet 30 movesinto register 'with the tracker-board passage which is in communication with the bellows- 26 thus permitting a collapsing of such bellows to effect an opening of the valve 25 to open communication between the suction pump 24 and Ymouthpieces 22 with a sheet a, a perforationmouthpieces 22 to cause the engaged'sheet a to adhere thereto, the control sheet perforation being of sufiicient length toprevent anopening of the bellows 26 and consequent closingof the valve 25 until the mouthpieces have moved .to' sheet delivery position.

Upon the delivery of asheet to the platen roll by the pick-up members 22 a perforation in the control sheet 30 moves into register with the tracker-board passage which is in communiiation with the bellows 62, thus permitting: a collapsing of said bellows which effects a shifting of the lever 60 to throw the wiper-wheel 49 into clutch en gagement with the pulley 55 The revolving of the' w-iper-wheel flanges 51, upon an engagement of-the wheel with the pulley 55,

causes said flanges to successively strike and impart reciprocatory movements .to the '120 push-bar 46, which in turn actsthrough the pawl -45.and ratchet wheel 44 to impart in termittent movements to the platen roll.

When the sheet a has been fed'in proper v position for the starting of the letter or other matter thereon, the perforation in the control sheet 30 passes from register with the associated trackerboard passage to permit an expanding or opening of the bellows 62 and a shifting of th'ewiper wheel 49 to re leased position. Upon the completion of the writing on the sheet a, which is accomplished 1n any suitable manner, as, for 1hstance, by the mechanisms disclosed in my said copending applications Nos. 638,894: and

64:1,560, an elongated perforation inthe control sheet 30 again moves into register with the trackerboard passagem communication with the bellows62 to effect a throwing of. the wiper wheel 19 into engagement, with the actuating pulley 55 and a consequent rapid delivery of the written sheet from the machine.

, freed or substantiallyfreed from-the platen roll 6 the sheet picking up meansisagain actuated as above described to pick up and deliver a fresh sheet to the platen roll and the other operations are accomplished in their proper order as above described. When not limited to any-specific construction .or

arrangement of theparts except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In combinatioma sheet holding table, .a sheet picking up member movable toward and away from said table,means for creating a suction through saidmember'to hold a sheet thereto, a valve reciprocally movable to open and close said suction means,

anda bellows having its movable part engagement with said valve and-'being'automatically operable at predetermined intervals to open communication between said member and the suction means.

2. In combination, asheet holding table, a pneumatic sheet picking up mouthpiece mountedfor movements relative to the table, suction means in communication with said mouthpiece, a valve movable to open or close said communication, means yieldingly acting on the'valve to maintain it inpositionto close said communication,

a bellows having its movable part attached to said valve, and perforated sheet controlled means for operating said bellows at predetermined intervals to effect an opening of the valve.

3. In combination, a pneumatically 'con- 1 trolled sheet picking up mouthpiece, a rock VVhenthe sheeta has been the ' shaft carrying said mouthpiece, oscillatory means carrying said shaft, and pneumatically controlled mechanism for moving said mouthpiece to. sheet picking up position and then oscillating said shaft carrying means and rocking the shaft relative thereto to deliver anengaged sheet to a predetermined point.

i. In combination, a pneumatically con- 't-rolled sheet picking up mouthpiece, a rockshaft carrying said mouthpiece,- oscillatory means carrying said shaft, an arm projecting from said shaft, a push-bar attached to said arm and movable'in one direction to impart sheet engaging movements to. the 1 mouthpiece and in the opposite direction to impart sheet picking up and delivering .movements thereto, and pneumatically controlled mechanism for operating said pushrod. 5. In ".p'ombination, a pneumatically controlled {sheet picking up member, -means movably carrying said member, 'a'push-ba'r cooperating with said means to impart sheet engaging and picking up movements thereto, a striker lever for actuating the movements of said push-bar in one direction, yielding means for actuating its movements in theopposite direction, andIpneumatically controlled means for oscillating said lever at predetermined intervals.

6. In combination, a pneumatic sheet picking up member, a rockshaft carrying said member and mounted for transverse swinging movements, and mechanism automatically operable to intermittently rock said shaft and impart simultaneous transverse swinging movements thereto.

.7. In combination, a sheet picking up mouthpiece, means for creating a suction.

through said mouthpiece, meansfor intermittently opening and closing the communicationbetween said mouthpiece and suc-fi tion means,-'a rock shaft carrying, said mouthpiece, arms swingingly carrying said shaft,-a crank arm attached to said shaft and pneumatically controlled mechanism operable at predetermined intervals tomove said crank arm to impart simultaneous rocking and swinging movements to said shaft. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

PHILLIP JACOB DREHER. Vvitnesses z 3 C. W. OWEN, E. E. THOMAS. 

